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Kudos on a thoughtful and reasoned editorial that emphasized foreign trade’s great benefits to the American economy (“Foreign trade and domestic prosperity,” Web, March 1).

International trade is definitely the lifeblood of vibrant economies, and now is the time to reaffirm American shared values and the mutual stake we have with Taiwan in promoting a peaceful and prosperous Asia-Pacific region. Taiwan is an economic powerhouse and a center of technological innovation. Over the past half-century, it has grown from an agricultural society into an indispensable link in the global supply chain. Taiwan’s high-tech enterprises embody the dynamism that has made the country a force in the global economy. Sustaining a productive partnership with Taiwan is an important driver of domestic prosperity and is particularly critical to the success of U.S. strategic goals in the Asia-Pacific region.

A presence is not just battleships or aircraft carriers. We need trade and exchange of goods, too. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is Washington’s way of doing this. In formally signing the pact, the United States has demonstrated its leadership in stewarding the negotiation of an ambitious blueprint for economic governance.

But this will mean little if TPP is without Taiwan’s vast economy. Taiwan last year vaulted over India and Saudi Arabia to become the 10th largest trading partner of the United States as the two-way trade volume reached $67.4 billion.

It is of pressing importance that the United States support Taiwan’s bid to join the next round of negotiations for the regional trade bloc TPP and work directly with Taiwan to boost U.S. domestic prosperity and actively promote peace and stability in Asia-Pacific.